The long process of making Balinese Batik

The Balinese love for batik shown during religious ceremonies made the Balinese Batik industry grow rapidly. Moreover, the desires of foreign and domestic tourists who want to get and know these local handicrafts, make their development better from year to year. Behind it all there is a long process of making Batik Bali that not many people know. Following is the process of making Balinese Batik and the materials used.

Materials and tools that are prepared

• Mori cloth (can use other types of fabric such as cotton or silk)
• Canting (a tool used to form a motif)
• Gawangan (a place to attach fabrics to be drawn)
• Candles (the main ingredient is liquid)
• Pot and stove (a place to heat candles)
• Coloring solution

Stages and manufacturing process

The first step in making Balinese Batik cloth is to make a batik design or commonly referred to as “Molani”. In determining the motives, usually, the craftsmen have different tastes. Sometimes some prefer to make their motives, but some prefer to follow the motives that already exist. In Indonesia, 2 motifs are often used, namely classic motifs that display a lot of symbols, and natural motifs with characteristics such as images of butterflies and flowers. In designing motifs can be done using a pencil.

After the “Molani” process is complete, the next step is to paint using a canting filled with wax by following the pattern that has been described. After that cover with wax the parts that will remain white (not colored). Canting is used for fine parts and small patterns, or brushes for medium to large-sized parts. The main objective is that when dipping the material into the coloring solution, the part that is given a waxy layer is not affected.

The next step is to do the first coloring process that is not covered by wax using a canting to cover the part that will be retained on the first coloring. After that continue to the second coloring process.

The next step is removing the wax from the cloth by putting the cloth dipping it in hot water on a furnace. After the cloth is clean from wax and begins to dry, the batik process can be done again by closing the wax (using a canting tool) to hold the first and second colors. The process of opening and closing a candle can be done repeatedly according to the number of colors and complexity of the desired motif.

Next is boiling the cloth that has changed color into hot water. The aim is to remove the wax layer so that the motif that has been drawn before will look very clear. The last process is washing the cloth of Batik Bali and then drying it by drying in a place that is not exposed to sunlight.